The Ministry of Health (Minsa) and the Social Security Fund (CSS) met this Tuesday, November 11, with representatives of 203 medical graduates who did not secure a placement for their internship.
In this second meeting, authorities from Minsa and CSS informed the student representatives that they are seeking the necessary funding and locations for the placements so that they can complete their two-year internship.
Mayra Abood, head of Minsa's Teaching Commission, stated that the meeting was positive, allowing for the establishment of mechanisms and a work plan with all applicants who need to complete their internship, a requirement to obtain their professional certification.
Abood explained that «during the working session, the areas where the new applicants can be incorporated were identified, with the support of the Ministry of Health's higher office, the Social Security Fund, and the National Assembly's Labor, Health, and Social Development Commission. She added that the goal is to secure the necessary budget to enable the job placements for the students».
Harvin Batista, a spokesperson for the representatives of the 203 medical graduates, stated that the meeting was satisfactory and thanked the authorities of Minsa, CSS, and the deputies of the National Assembly's Labor, Health, and Social Development Commission for seeking the financial resources and locations for the internship placements. Batista said that they will begin their internships in April 2026, without affecting new applicants.
At the end of the meeting, all parties agreed to meet again on January 20, 2026, to continue working together.
The students were attended by Dr. Serafín Sánchez, an advisor to Minsa; Dr. Mayra Abood, head of Minsa's Teaching Commission; and Dr. Paulino Vigil, from CSS's Teaching Department. Deputies from the National Assembly's Labor, Health, and Social Development Commission also participated in the meeting.
Minsa's commitment is to find spaces to place the more than 200 medical graduates in teaching hospitals, both from the Ministry and the Social Security Fund.
The Ministry of Health maintains a constant dialogue with medical guilds, hospitals, and the University of Panama, with the objective of finding concrete solutions to strengthen the training of doctors in the country's universities, aligning it with the real needs of the population.
Panama, November 11, 2025.
